


Marry Me a Little

by paperscribe



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marriage, Relationship Discussions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 10:12:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1645007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperscribe/pseuds/paperscribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marriage worries them both.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Marry Me a Little

James was outside having a smoke, and it seemed to be taking rather longer than usual today. Lewis didn't blame him. He didn't know exactly what to do with himself either.

This morning, Innocent had called them into her office and had informed them that there had been a spate of robberies in Oxford recently with one thing in common--all the victims had been newlyweds. The officers working the case had been fairly certain that someone working in the registry office was illicitly writing down the applicants' addresses and then casing their houses until they were certain the newly married couple wouldn't be home.

"But what do you need us for, ma'am?" Lewis had asked. "Since there's already officers on the case."

"I was hoping you two could get married," Innocent said.

Both Lewis and James had been too stunned to reply.

"We need two people whose home we can watch, to catch the thieves in the act," Innocent had said. "You two are one of the few pairs we've got who have worked together long enough to be plausible as a couple."

"We'll be using aliases, though," James had said.

"Afraid not," Innocent had said. "You'll need proofs of address, driver's licences, passports…we can't falsify all that."

"We need some time to consider this, ma'am," Lewis had said, glancing at James, who had looked positively ashen.

Innocent had nodded. "I understand."

Lewis finally decided sitting here watching James smoke wasn't doing him any good, and went to chat to him outside.

When he saw Lewis coming, James flicked away the remains of his cigarette as was his wont. "Sir."

Lewis leaned against the wall next to James. "What are you thinking?"

James shook his head. "I can't."

Lewis nodded. "Want to say why?"

"Not really. But since you've asked…" James sighed. "I can lie. I have lied for a case. I don't have any trouble with it. But marriage is a sacrament. I know it would only be a civil marriage in the registry office, but I've always believed the commitment involved in a marriage is important. I'm not going to make that commitment and then annul it five minutes later. When I make that promise of marriage, whoever I make it to, I'm going to mean it."

"Aye, that's how I felt," Lewis said.

James glanced at him. "With your wife."

Lewis nodded. "Till death do us part, we said. And it was."

James looked guilty now. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

"Of course you didn't," Lewis said. "The truth is, I'm not sure I'm any more ready to be married than you are."

James nodded slightly. "This sounds like pre-wedding jitters,doesn't it?"

"Oh, no," Lewis said. "Pre-wedding jitters are much worse. I was so afraid I wouldn't know how to do this…that I couldn't be what she deserved."

"But you were."

"Sometimes," Lewis said. "I had my own failures just as often as anyone else has his."

"It isn't that I wouldn't like to be married," James said. "I think…with the right person…" He shook his head. "But I'm not good at finding anyone who isn't the very wrong person."

"Someday you'll find someone worthy of you," Lewis said. "Takes time is all."

James snorted. "Worthy of me."

Lewis turned to look at him. "Yeah. Someone who deserves that loyalty of yours."

James shook his head.

"There is someone like that," Lewis insisted, resting a hand on James's arm for emphasis. "Bloody hell, James, if I were your age and you fancied me, I'd climb you like a tree." _Oh, bollocks, I said that aloud._

A very long silence before James spoke. "You did just say that?"

"Unfortunately," Lewis confirmed. "Might've got a bit…carried away."

"No, no. I'm very interested to hear you would…climb me like a tree, I think it was," James said.

Lewis could feel his face heat in embarrassment. "You're not bad-looking."

James folded his arms. "Why is this the first time I'm hearing this?"

"Christ," groaned Lewis. "I said that and Innocent wants us married…I should retire now and save everyone the trouble."

"Don't do that," James said, bumping his side lightly against Lewis's. "I'd miss you."

Lewis was still embarrassed by his own lack of discretion. "I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be," James said, and there was something…more in his voice. "Not for my sake."

Lewis looked at James. "Oh?"

"You said 'if' before. If I fancied you." James shook his head. "It's not an if."

Lewis looked at James to see if he were joking, but he didn't seem to be.

"Odd," James said after a moment. "I thought there'd be more tree-climbing at this point."

"I did say if I was your age," Lewis said.

"Your tree-climbing days aren't over," James said.

They stood in companionable silence for a while.

"I think you're right," Lewis said. "We shouldn't get married.'

James nodded.

"Think we ought to see each other for a while first," Lewis said. "What d'you reckon?"

"Really?" James asked.

Lewis nodded. "If you like."

"Yeah."

Lewis smiled to himself.

"What?"

Lewis shook his head. "She didn't convince us to get married. But Innocent might've got us together after all."

For the first time in the conversation, James smiled.


End file.
